The Lancet - Emergency use authorisation for COVID-19 vaccines: lessons from Ebola
In order to increase public acceptance of an emergency use authorisation for COVID-19 vaccines, the following article in The Lancet suggests that lessons can be learnt from previous experiences with Ebola virus vaccines in Guinea and the Democratic Republic on the Congo.
Emergency use authorisation allows the public to access promising medicinal products prior to licensing and registration. In the setting of a public health emergency, their use may be ethically justified if certain conditions are met.
By having a transparent evaluation process, ensuring that it meets a favourable benefit-risk ratio based on quality and safety data, and having an accountable system of regulatory oversight and monitoring, the ethical quality and overall acceptance of a COVID-19 vaccine can be improved.
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The Lancet - Emergency use authorisation for COVID-19 vaccines: lessons from Ebola
The Conversation: Moderna’s COVID vaccine reports 95% efficacy
The American biotech company Moderna has released early data from phase III clinical trials, announcing that its COVID-19 vaccine has an efficacy level of 94.5%.
Like Pfizer's vaccine, the Moderna vaccine is also an mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccine, however will be easier to distribute as its temperature requirements are 4℃ for 30 days (rather than -70℃ as in the case of the Pfizer vaccine); and for storage requirements beyond 30 days it needs to be kept at -20℃.
The stage III trial involved 30,000 participants, out of those 95 people developed COVID-19 in the week after the final vaccination, with 90 of those being in the placebo group and only 5 in the group who received the COVID vaccine.
It is unknown how long protection from this vaccine lasts and how effective it is in the elderly, pregnant women or those with a chronic illness; however, in results Moderna published in September the vaccine produced a similar amount of antibodies in adults over 70 as adults under 70 years of age. It did however induce fewer T cells in people aged over 71, so at this stage it is not know whether this will result in lower protection or shorter lasting immunity in the elderly.
疫苗播客
随着 2020 年接近尾声，人们乐观地认为，安全有效的 SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) 疫苗将很快获得批准，以控制大流行。在我们的 3 部分视频广播系列中，我们讨论了如何在如此紧迫的时间内开发疫苗、正在使用的各种疫苗平台及其各自的优缺点，以及为不同的优先群体提供免疫接种。我们将探讨临床试验的初步结果，并讨论即使在疫苗获批使用后仍将进行的持续安全监测。
COVID-19 vaccination policies, programs and prioritisation for Australia
Details on Australia's COVID-19 vaccination policies, programs and prioritisation have been released.
Follow the links below for further information:
- Australian Government Department of Health: ATAGI - preliminary advice on general principles to guide the prioritisation of target populations in a COVID-19 vaccination program in Australia
- Australian Government Department of Health: COVID-19 vaccination prioritisation
- Australian Government Department of Health: Australian COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
COVID19 疫苗之路第 17 集：与 Bonnie Henry 博士一起在加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省如何管理 COVID-19 大流行
在我们的 COVID19 疫苗之路系列的第 17 集中，我们的主持人 Nigel Crawford 副教授与加拿大 BC 省卫生官员 (PHO) Bonnie Henry 博士进行了交谈。作为 PHO，邦妮正在领导全省应对新冠肺炎 (COVID-19) 疫情的工作。 Bonnie 自 2018 年初以来一直担任这一职务，在此之前曾担任副 PHO 三年。她专注于公共卫生和预防医学，并拥有在巴基斯坦参与世界卫生组织和联合国儿童基金会根除脊髓灰质炎项目以及在乌干达埃博拉疫情期间与世界卫生组织合作的背景。她拥有领导应对 SARS、H1N1 大流行和 BC 省药物过量紧急情况的经验。邦妮是不列颠哥伦比亚大学医学院的副教授，也是加拿大国家免疫咨询委员会的成员。她和奈杰尔讨论了以下内容：
- Bonnie 目前的职责是领导 BC 省应对 COVID-19 大流行
- 她从 2003 年 SARS 爆发中学到了什么，以及如何将这些经验和知识应用于当前的大流行，例如接触者追踪、控制疫情的重要性以及与公众沟通的重要性
- COVID-19 疫苗将在加拿大发挥的作用以及需要面对的挑战，例如物流、确保足够的安全性、确定首先免疫的优先群体以及保护土著社区
- 监测免疫接种后不良事件的至关重要
链接：
- 纽约时报：在冠状病毒测试中取得优异成绩的顶级医生
- BC 省疾病控制中心：BC省 COVID-19 数据
- 加拿大政府：加拿大首席公共卫生官关于国家免疫咨询委员会 (NACI) 关于关键人群早期 COVID-19 疫苗接种的初步指导的声明
- 加拿大政府：加拿大政府签署新协议，以确保获得更多候选疫苗和针对 COVID-19 的治疗
- BC 省儿童医院：Manish Sadarangani
- 达尔豪斯大学儿科系：Karina Top
你可以在这里收听这一集：
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The World Health Organization: How do vaccines work?
The World Health Organization have developed a new resource explaining how vaccines provide immunity.
To view the resource please follow the link below:
The World Health Organization: How do vaccines work?
The New York Times: The Husband-and-Wife Team Behind the Leading Vaccine to Solve Covid-19
BioNTech, a German-based biotechnology company with a focus on developing cancer therapies, previously predicted that messenger-RNA technology could be used to rapidly develop a vaccine in the event of a pandemic.
The company, founded by Dr Ugur Sahin and Dr Ozlem Tureci, in partnership with Pfizer, announced this week that their COVID-19 vaccine candidate is more than 90% effective.
To read more, please follow the link below:
The New York Times: The Husband-and-Wife Team Behind the Leading Vaccine to Solve Covid-19
BBC: Covid vaccine - First 'milestone' vaccine offers 90% protection
Vaccine developers Pfizer and BioNTech have announced preliminary data shows their COVID-19 vaccine is demonstrating 90% effectiveness. The vaccine has been tested on over 43,000 people in six countries (USA, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa and Turkey). They are planning to apply for emergency approval so the vaccine can be in use by the end of November.
Requiring two doses three weeks apart, the vaccine has been developed using an mRNA platform. Scientists take part of the virus’s genetic code and coat it in a lipid so that it can enter the body’s cells resulting in the production of the coronavirus spike protein, prompting the immune system to produce antibodies and T-cells to kill the infected cells. If the person who has been immunised encounters the virus, the antibodies and T-cells are then activated to fight the virus.
It is not known how effective the vaccine will be in elderly people as yet or how long immunity will last. This vaccine is not without manufacturing and logistical challenges, as mRNA vaccines need to be stored at minus 80 degrees Celsius. To date, no major safety issues have been identified.
Read more about this via the link below:
BBC: Covid vaccine: First 'milestone' vaccine offers 90% protection
BBC: Coronavirus - Scientists using TikTok to teach about vaccine
Scientists will use social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Twitter to communicate information about COVID-19 vaccines in development. They will share science in a simple way as well as answer questions in an effort to reclaim the trust of the public which has been undermined by the rampant spread of misinformation.
This is part of new campaign, Team Halo, which has the backing of the United Nations’ Verified Initiative， 这 Vaccine Confidence Project 和 GAVI, The Vaccine Alliance.
要阅读更多信息，请点击以下链接：
Coronavirus: Scientists using TikTok to teach about vaccine
The bmj: Midwives and paramedics can deliver flu and covid vaccines after new laws come into force
New laws, introduced by the UK government, will now see midwives and paramedics able to administer influenza and COVID-19 vaccines (once available). Expanding the workforce responsible for administering vaccines will improve the public's access to vaccination. These healthcare workers will undergo additional training to ensure patient safety is maintained.
Currently doctors, accredited nurse immunisers, nurse practitioners and pharmacist immunisers can administer vaccines in Victoria.
要阅读更多信息，请点击以下链接：
The bmj: Midwives and paramedics can deliver flu and covid vaccines after new laws come into force